Wendy’s: the home of the Baconator, the Frosty, and drivers who crash straight through the building. A rather unlucky driver had to be cut free from a car after crashing into a Wendy’s in central Pennsylvania. It happened Sunday in Middletown, in Dauphin County. Police said the driver was hurt and had to be extricated by first responders, then taken to a hospital. Employees were inside the restaurant at the time. None of them were injured.
According to the Lower Swatara Township Police Department, officers headed to the Wendy’s location on South Eisenhower Boulevard after a report that a vehicle had struck the building. Odd, yes, but not totally unheard of. Fire and EMS crews responded along with police. Working together, they managed to get the trapped driver out of the car, though (likely obviously) it there was heavy damage dealt to the car as well as the building itself.
The driver was the only person reported hurt, though their exact condition hasn’t been released. Police haven’t said what caused the crash, though you can imagine the (alleged) possibilities, right? They also haven’t identified the driver just yet. This is very much still an ongoing investigation.
It’s more common than you might think to hear about a car crashes into a building. In fact, they may not all make the news, but crashes where vehicles end up inside buildings happen across the country every day, and the reasons tend to fall into a short list. And they almost always need a specialized rescue.
Cars Hit Buildings Pretty Often, Actually
These kinds of crashes are actually a legitimate ongoing issue. Safety groups that track them estimate there are dozens across the United States every single day, hitting storefronts, restaurants, and homes. Many happen in parking lots, where a car is only a short distance and one wrong pedal away from the wall of a business. A fast-food spot with parking right out front, like this Wendy’s, fits that pattern.
The causes usually come down to a few things. Pedal error is a big one, where a driver hits the gas instead of the brake and shoots forward unexpectedly. Medical emergencies play a role too, when a driver passes out or loses control at the wheel. Impairment and simple loss of control fill out the list. Investigators generally sort out which factor was at play, which is likely what police in Middletown are doing now.
Getting the Trapped Driver Out
When police say a driver was “extricated” during a crash or similar incident, they mean the person couldn’t simply climb out. A hard crash can crush or jam a car around the driver, pinning them or blocking the doors. That calls for firefighters and other rescue workers to use a tool called the Jaws of Life to cut into the car and pry it apart.
This particular call brought police, fire, and EMS together to work toward one goal: getting the driver to safety. This time, it kept a bad situation from becoming worse. What’s left now is the investigation, which likely won’t be positive for the driver. Police are still working out how the car ended up inside the restaurant, and whether the person behind the wheel will face any charges. And we’re also wondering: could they have also been a die-hard McDonald’s fan? We’ll be following this case closely.